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MAP snapshot Transport
Public transport - bus, train and coach travel Number Of Bus Stations West Malling doesn’t have a bus station as such, but the wide “market area” in the High Street, provides a useful turning point for quite large buses and serves as a terminus for a number of Bus Routes into the town from the Maidstone and Tonbridge directions. Bus Route Services From Villages To Train Stations Currently the Nu-Venture bus operates a regular bus service to and from West Malling Station via West Malling High Street from Kings Hill, Mondays to Fridays starting at 06:00 and running till 20:41. The Service is synchronized with the Train arrivals and departures. The recently opened new A228 dual carriageway will from December provide an access route for buses and taxis to the station, and will enable bus services to run through the station for the first time. ARRIVA buses have announced that from 4th December 2006 they will be rerouting the 72, 76 and 151 bus services to run between the A20/A228 junction and West Malling High Street via the bypass, West Malling Station and Swan Street. This will provide 3 journeys an hour in each direction giving new bus service links to the station from surrounding residential areas. However, there will be a reduced service from Town Hill (about 1 bus an hour) as a result of the rerouting of these services. Bus Routes/Services Serving Town And Surrounding Countryside Following are the Bus Companies serving West Malling and its hinterland taken from their Web Site Information. |} Number Of Train Stations West Malling has only one station, which also serves the neighbouring areas. Housing and business developments in the West Malling hinterland (particularly Kings Hill) has resulted in this station having one of the highest passenger growth rates in the South East. However, the shortage of parking at the station has resulted in commuters resorting to using other nearby stations (e.g. Borough Green) as an alternative. There are plans to provide a further 280 parking spaces at the station in the near future. Number Of Coach Parks There is no coach park facility in West Malling. Lack of this facility would impact any program to develop tourism further in the area. It is just possible that a small part of the existing Manor Park car park might be utilised for this purpose. Such a proposition would need appropriate controls and agreement with Park Authorities etc. Percentage Of Households Without A Car The table, below taken from www.kent.gov.uk/research shows percentage West Malling households without a car. The average for all parishes in the Malling Action Partnership (MAP) Area was 13.1% about 1 in 8 households, that is those households relying on Public Transport. Whilst Offham (7%) & Kings Hill (2%) are at lower end of households without cars, West Malling (22.1%) at the higher end probably due to higher number of residential care homes. |} Private transport Parking In West Malling This initial data was taken from the PBA Local Parking Study conducted in 2003. |} Number of short-stay car parking spaces in the town This study identified 126 Parking spaces (up to 4 hours) in “Tesco Car Park”, with on street parking (up to 2 hours) easily accessible to visitors / shoppers in the “central town area” (High St; King St; Swan St; Tower Hill) accounting for a further 165 places. The “New Town” mainly residential area, accounted for area a further 555 spaces and other residential areas including Churchfields; Meadow Bank; Neville Court; Frog Lane; Ryarsh Lane providing a further 168 spaces. So short stay parking spaces in total were 1014 in this PBA study. There are no parking fees time limits are enforced by parking wardens. Number of long-stay car parking spaces in the town A residents and “long term” business parking permit scheme is in operation. The “Town Hill” long term car park accounted for 100 spaces. Number of disabled car parking spaces in the town A total of 13 disabled parking bays. Other parking spaces close to town The Manor Park in St Leonard’s St. has a relatively small car park estimated at 25 to 35 spaces about 600 yards from the Town Centre. The existing Railway Parking, which is subject to parking charges, is also about 500 yards from the centre. Number Of Cycle Paths There are no cycle paths in the West Malling area at present although it is understood that one will be designated from Kings Hill to West Malling station along the A228 route Journey Times By Car And Public Transport To Nearest Large Town Or City This section compares CAR; BUS and TRAIN journeys to major shopping destinations Average Journey Times From West Malling Minutes |}